Apparatus for the manufacture of smokeless fuel



March 25, 19I0. c, vlEu ET AL 1,752,044

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SMOKELESS FUEL Filed Ju$e 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z Z I 3J1 lnven bs AM /s M rc 25, 93 c. VIEU ET AL 1,752,044

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SMOKELESS FUEL Filed June 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4. Fig 5.

Inn/940m Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES VIEU AND LEON MOURGEON, OF PARIS, FRANCE; SAID VIEU ASSIGNOR TO SAID MOURGEON AND COMPAGNIE DES MINES DE VIGOIGNE, NOEUX & DROCOURT,

OF PARIS, FRANCE APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SMOKELESS FUEL Application filed June 22, 1926, Serial No. 117,851, and in France June 27, 1925.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the heat treatment of coal and it comprises a plurality of heating or distillation chambers with a distributing valve so constructed as to permit controlling the flow of heating fluid through the chambers in a simple and sys tematic way.

In our apparatus we provide a distributing valve comprising a hollow outer cylindricalmember having ports in the periphery thereof and an inner cylindrical rotatable member closely fitting the inner surface of the outer member. The inner member is provided with channels therein. The terminal openings of the channels register with the ports in the outer member as will be more fully described in an advantageous embodiment of our invention. Conduits connect the ports in the outer member of our distributor with the inlets and outlets of the heating chambers and by virtue of our construction a turn of the inner member acts to initially conduct'heating fluid from its source into any one chamber and also to conduct heating fluid from one chamber to the next in series.

In the appended drawings we have shown a suitable form which our invention may take.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the distributing valve shown in connection with two heating chambers;

Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sections taken along lines 22 and 33 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4 and 5 represent more or less generally a suitable type of heating chamber with which our distributing valve may be used.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, we have shown heating chambers A and A in association with the distributing valve. The valve comprises an outer, stationary element 72, in the form of a hollow cylinder, the periphery of which is provided with equally spaced ports 6 a 6 and a, passing through the cylinder wall. Actually there are two sets of equally spaced ports arranged around the cylinder wall, one above the other.

Fig. 2 shows the lower series of ports, a to a and Fig. 3 indicates the upper series of ports, 6 to 5 Conduits k to 70 connect ports a to a with the lower part of the heating chambers A to A respectively and conduits Z to Z connect the upper series of ports 19 to b with the upper portions of the chambers A to A respectively as shown. The flow of heating fluid through these communicating ports, conduits and chambers will presently be described in detail.

VVithin the outer member h, we provide a rotatable cylindrical member 9 which makes a gas tight fit with the inner wall of member h. In the rotatable member which is otherwise solid, we provide channels terminating in the openings 0 to 0 and (Z to al inclusive, as shown. The c openings are equally spaced to register with the 64 ports in the wall of the cylinder h and the cl openings are equally spaced to register with the 6 ports in cylinder 72. upon an appropriate adjustment of the position of inner member 9.

A main inlet channel 0 in the bottom of the inner member allows heating fluid to enter the member and since 9 is rotatable, we provide a conduit 6 pivoted at e which connects inlet 0 with a source of heating fluid advantageously superheated steam or an inert gas.

A main outlet 7, pivoted at 7, takes heating fluid from the inner member through channel d therein.

The operation of the distributing valve as follows Assume that the position of the inner rotatable member 9 is that shown in the drawings. Heating fluid enters the central portion of the distributing valve through main inlet duct 0 (see Fig. 1 for clearness) and is conducted by main channel 0 to the opening 0 in the face of the inner member. The fluid passes through 0 a (the port in cylinder h) and thence by conduit 70 into the heating chamber A containing a charge of coal advantageously in briquette form. Referring to Fig. 3, the heating fluid circulates through the chamber A in the direction of the arrows and leaves chamber A by conduit Z which communicates with the port 5 on the outer stationary member h. The heating fluid passes through 72 and (Z and thence downwardly through the inner member and, by

means of the terminal opening the port a and the conduit laipasses into the heating chamber A Fig. 1 shows the channels in the inner cylindrical member somewhat better, one of them being indicated by the ter,-

minal openings (Z and 0 When the heatports, conduits, and channels is such that,

during the heating, two chambers will be out of the heating circuit. At the instance under consideration, after the two adjacent chambers A and A are'loaded and unloaded respectively, the rotatable member 9 is rotated counterclockwise so that the heating fluid initially enters chamber A and thence through chambers A to A inclusive, leaving the latter through main outlet duct 7. During this heating cycle chamber A will be loaded and chamber A unloaded. In'this manner each of the chambers is finally brought up to final heating temperature, that is, the temperature of the entering heating fluid. I

Conduit f connects with a condensing de vice, notshown, to condense condensable vapors driven out of the coal during the heating thereof.

It will be clear from the foregoing that we have provided a simple distributing valve ar rangement whereby the flow of heating fluid through a series of heating, or coal carbonizing chambers can be readily controlled in a systematic manner. The apparatus permits a constantly increasing, though uniform, distribution of the heating fluid and as'a result, the distillation of the coal can be systematically regulated in accordance with the best conditions for any particular variety of coal.

Our distributing valve may be associated with various types of heating chambers. One advantageous form thereof is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 which, as stated, represent a suitable construction more or less diagrammatically and require no further explanation. The art is familiar with heating chambers of this and other types.

lVhat is claimed is 2- 1. An apparatus for the heat treatment of coal, comprising a-plurality of heating chambers to contain coal to be heated, a distributing valve comprising a hollow cylindrical stationary outer member provided with two parallel series of ports, the ports being equal- 1y spaced around said cylindrical member,

conduits connecting the ports of the stationary member with the heatmg chambers, one

series of ports and conduits being for the'purnating at the opposite ends thereof in opening in the cylindricalsurface-of the rotatable member, he channel openings at one end of said channels being spaced to register with one series of ports in the stationary member and the channel openings at the opposite end of each channel being spaced to register with the other series of ports in the stationary member, a main inlet channel to conduct'heating fluid intothe rotatable member, the oppo-l site opening thereof registering with one of the ports on the outer member connected with a conduit forconducting heating fluid to the chambers, and a main outlet channel to conduct fluid from the rotatable member, the opposite opening of said channel being spaced toregister with a port on theouter member connected with a. conduitfor conducting fluid from the chambers, whereby upon rotation of the rotatable member, heating fluid may initia-lly pass into any one of the heating chambers and then pass through the heating chambers in series.

2. An apparatus for the heat treatment of coal, comprising avplurality of heating chambers, each having an inlet for heating fluid and an outlet for heating fluid, and a distributing valve to conduct heating fluid ini tially into any one of the heating chambers and then through the heating chambers in series, said distributing valve including an outer cylindrical member havingtwo parallel series of ports,-said ports-being equally spaced around said cylindrical member, conduits connecting one series of ports with the inlets of the heating cha1'nbers,,conduits connecting the other series of ports with the outlets of said heating chambers, a rotatable cylindrical member disposed within the outercylindrical member, said rotatable member being provided with a series'of separate channels, each of said channelsfat opposite ends thereof opening into the cylindrical'outer surface of the rotatable member, the opposite open ends of said channels being spaced to register with v the two series of ports respectively in the stationary member, whereby heating fluid may be caused to pass from one chamber to the next adjacent chamber in series. a

8. A distributing valve to regulate the direction of the flow of a, heating fluid'through a plurality of heating chambers containing coal to be heated including a llOllOW'CYllIldilcal stationary outer member provided with two parallel series of ports, the ports being equally spaced around said cylindrical member, and a rotatable cylindrical inner member disposed Within the stationary member, said rotatable member and stationary member having a common axis, said rotatable member having separate channels therein, each of the channels terminating at the opposite ends thereof in openings in the cylindrical surface of the rotatable member, the channel openings at one end of said channels being spaced to register With one series of ports in the stationary member and the channel openings at the opposite end of each channel being spaced to register With the other series of ports in the stationary member.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto aflixeol our signatures.

CHARLES VIEU. LEON MOURGEON. 

